10 Easy Questions to Cure Your Bible Studying Procrastination

With the New Year in full swing, you are probably still pretty gung-ho about your resolutions. If you have chosen to be in God’s Word more this year, reading Scripture is a great way to invest in a relationship with God and grow a deeper connection with Him.

However, as we all know, the excitement of resolutions can quickly wear off and while you truly want to be in God’s Word more, the initial wind in your sails is gone.

To help fight against resolution fatigue (I just made that up!), here are 10 easy questions you can ask to cure Bible studying procrastination!

Check out this FREE Bible study guide I created that you can keep in your Bible as a reference!

Before we get started with the easy questions, you need to know that it is essential for you to be writing down your answers. You may be wondering why. It has to do with how our brains process information and how we get ideas to stick. I highly recommend a journaling Bible or physical journal, not an electronic one.

The younger generations no longer journals by hand and it is sadly becoming a lost art form. Be part of the hand written revival!

Without any further ado, here are 10 easy questions to cure your Bible studying procrastination!

1. Ask: How can I use this verse today?

Think about what you can change in your walk of faith today as a result of reading a certain verse. Do you need to forgive someone? Is God asking you to have more patience about a work situation? Do you need to tell someone about Jesus today?

2. To who is the author writing?

This is generally a pretty easy question to answer because many of the books in the New Testament are titled to whom they are written (Galatians, Corinthians, Ephesians, etc).

Even though this may seem like an unimportant question, it is not. Knowing the context of Scripture is key to understanding it. If you read 1 Corinthians 14:34 out of context, you may get very confused: the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says.

What? I’m not suppose to even speak at church? No, that is not what this verse is saying. At the church of Corinth, the women were loud and boisterous. They sat segregated from the men (a cultural thing) and the women were actually shouting at their husbands during the service.

They were causing quite a commotion, so, Paul said for the women to be quiet in church. Makes sense now, right? But you wouldn’t have known that unless you did a little study about to who the author (Paul) was writing.

3. Where is Jesus in the passage?

Everything in the Bible points to Jesus. The need for Him, His first coming, His second coming, His great love for us, everything! Make it a habit to ask where you see Jesus in the section of Scripture you are studying.

4. Where else in the Bible are there verses like this?

The Bible repeats itself. It has to do with God understanding how we learn. If God talks about joy in 1 Peter 1:8, He is bound to talk about it elsewhere.

If you have a reference Bible, this will be easy for you to look up. If you don’t (and even if you do), I highly suggest downloading the free app called eSword.

eSword is an amazing Bible study program that will really help you get into the word of God and help you find things like cross-references! Click here to learn more.

5. What does this word mean in the original language?

Using the app above, you can study the Bible in its original language. No, I don’t mean you are going to be learning Greek or Hebrew (it would be cool if you did though), but I mean you can look up specific words and their definition. If you have a Strong’s Concordance handy, you can use that, too. However, if you don’t want to break your arm, you can use the Strong’s Concordance in eSword.

If you know anything about languages, you know that many things do not directly translate. Take the word “saved” in the context of Ephesians 2:8: For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.

Most of us think of being saved means saved from hell. What the word actually means in the Greek is much more beautiful. It not only means saved from hell but also means “made whole”, “delivered”, “healed”, “preserved”, “to do well”.

Kind of blows your mind, right? Being saved by grace means so much more than NOT going to hell!

This is why learning the true definition of certain words in the Bible can be transformational in your walk of faith.

6. What is the author’s point?

Trying to paraphrase Scripture in your own words is a very good thing. It is not like you are not trying to rewrite the Bible! To the contrary, when you can take a concept and reexplain it using your own thoughts, it means you have really learned it. It is also helpful when it comes to sharing the gospel or disciplining a new Christian.

7. How does this verse show me God’s love or faithfulness?

Just like everything in the Bible points to Jesus, everything in the Bible can teach us something about God. So, ask yourself, “How does this verse show me God’s love or faithfulness?”

8. How does this section of Scripture make me feel?

Sometimes when I read the Bible, I get a little confused or frustrated…and that is ok. The way Scripture makes me feel isn’t always butterflies and candy-coated chocolate, sometimes I get upset by what God is telling me. It is important to note my initial reaction and then respond appropriately.

If I am confused, I ask the Holy Spirit about it. If I’m still confused, I’ll ask someone I trust and help me understand the verse. If I’m frustrated, I ask God to give me His eyes for the word so that I can see how His word can help me, instead of upset me.

If you aren’t feeling positive about the word, that is common, but it is not ok to continue feeling that. You need to get rid of confusion or frustration by ultimately submitting to God. Hey, you may never quite fully grasp what His word is saying to you, and you have to learn to be ok with that.

9. Ask: God, what do you want me to take away from this portion of Your word?

God’s answer may surprise you. He may tell you something about yourself that you didn’t know, relate the verse to a situation that you didn’t know applied, or reveal something much deeper than you were thinking about.

You should listen to this amazing song if you shy away from getting deep with God. Actually, even if you don’t shy away from being vulnerable, you should listen to this song because it is amazing!

Now, that you are probably crying (I always do when I listen to this song), I have one more questions to help you!

10. Does this verse give me any word pictures?

If you are unfamiliar with word pictures, it is the idea that when you read or hear a certain phrase, you can picture it in your head.

For example, if I say “fire truck”, you’ll probably get a flash of red fire engine, possibly even a distant sound of sirens. This is a word picture.

Some of us naturally get pictures from Scripture but it is not everyone’s strength. I don’t naturally add numbers in my head, it is something I have to practice. Just like math and me, illustrating your faith may be an exercise you have to practice.

If the Scripture you’re studying doesn’t give you an image but you want to Bible journal it, feel free to check out my inspirational resources on Pinterest and Instagram. Sometimes, seeing what others have done can give you new ideas.

I work hard to find a variety of inspiration for you. While I love watercolor, not everyone does. So, I have hand lettering posts, pencil art, scrapboooking styles, and even some acrylic.